Raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Carollyne Yardley completed two years in the Visual Arts Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, and is a graduate of the University of Victoria, where she completed a Double Major in Psychology, and History in Art. She has also studied at the Victoria College of Art, and with Tony Ryder at The Ryder Studio School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Carollyne Yardley coined the term Squirrealism to describe her signature style of fine artwork using squirrel masks in paintings, and photographs, to create strange, transgene characters and creatures, living in wonderful worlds. She is represented by Winchester Galleries (Victoria, BC).

Nancy Slaght (www.nancyslaght.com)

After 23 years living and working in her Victoria home/studio by the sea, Nancy didn't get down to the business of making art until she was 40. Feeding her need to experience life by marrying too young, travelling in a rock band and living abroad in Great Britain, Europe and Japan. She was a gypsy at home on land or sea.

Having tried a number of different careers; sales management, fitness and teaching she enrolled at Victoria College of Art. After 2 years ready to snap brushes, burn canvasses and withdraw tuition fees I opened a box of cheap soft pastels while sitting at anchor in Oak Bay, Victoria. Their immediacy and alluring ability to function as both a drawing and painting medium had her hooked.

Nancy’s work is represented by Winchester Galleries, Victoria, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Sales and Rentals. Pastel paintings are held in Private collections throughout Canada, the United States and Japan.

Phyllis Serota (phyllisserota.weebly.com)

Phyllis has been painting full time professionally since 1979. She received her BFA from the University of Victoria in that year and since then and has been earning her living as an artist.

In her painting, she discovers and explores both her reality and memories. She realizes that she is not only remembering specific moments but in some of her recent paintings, she interprets the act of memory itself. “I am interested in what the distance of time and space can do to distort and obscure the images”.

Another important vein in her work is concerned with beauty; her wonder at just how beautiful the world is...beautiful and, at times, terrible.

Mark Heine (www.mheine.com)

Mark is a storyteller. HIs art is the expression of a carefully chosen moment, captured from a larger narrative. This story is constantly playing, moving forward and changing, as each painting alters the course of the narrative. As it ignites his imagination for the next. So the road is never a straight line.

He believes that artistic growth is directly bound to the challenge we undertake. The larger the risk, the greater the reward. So how winding the creative road is, will depend on how far from a straight line you’re willing to push yourself. For Mark, the story is what he uses to navigate that road – stories rooted in both my imagination and my experience. They give him a reason to paint ... a concept. They give the painting a reason to exist beyond the surface visual. Sometimes the journey is loud, long and nerve wracking. Sometimes it’s short and quiet. Even tranquil.

Presenter Bios

Robyn Quinn (www.bigbangcommunications.ca)

Robyn is the owner and drive behind Big Bang Communications. Big Bang is a strategic communications consulting business offering concept-to-completion communications solutions for B2B and B2C clients ranging from technology start-ups to established service industries. Based in Victoria, BC Big Bang specializes in creative ideas and unique perspectives for clients looking for custom communications service beyond their expectations.

They offer award-winning solutions and approaches while bringing in amazing associates for special work needed to complement strategic plans.

Yvonne Owens

Yvonne obtained her B.A. in Art History from the University of Victoria, and her M.A. in Cultural Studies from the University of York in the U.K. She was awarded a Marie Curie Ph.D. Fellowship in 2005, and is currently completing dissertation in Art History for the University College of London. Yvonne has presented papers to many academic perspectives and disciplines, and has published articles and reviews on art for international arts, academic, and literary journals.

ArtSites.ca started when a family friend asked us to create a simple, yet elegant, artist website. She wanted a website that was simple, focused on her artwork, easily updated, and affordable. We created a website for her and soon received several requests from her colleagues. Their needs were similar and we realized that if we could provide a simple, automated tool at a reasonable price, other artists might find this helpful as well. So, ArtSites.ca was created and continues to grow as we gather more feedback from artists using

Funders

We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia